Elden Ring fans consider the Tree of Erd to be a “Christmas tree”

Reddit user Independent-Design17 suggested that the Erd Tree might be inspired by the Australian Christmas tree Nuytsia floribunda.

The two trees are indeed superficially similar, especially the Small Erd Trees in the game. But fans have noticed deeper parallels. In Elden Ring, the souls of the dead are guided to the Erd Tree, which explains the presence of catacombs at its roots. Similarly, Nuytsia is considered a “spirit tree” in Australian Aboriginal culture. Each of its flowering branches symbolizes the soul of the deceased, and its bright coloring is associated with the sunset, where, according to the belief, the spirits go.

Image: reddit.com

Another similarity is the nature of Nuytsia as a semi-parasite. This tree obtains nutrients by “stealing” them from neighboring plants. The theory of the parasitic nature of the Tree of Erd is also popular among fans of the game. It is believed that the Erd Tree captured the roots of the ancient Great Tree, which was the source of life. But it turns out that the references to the “Great Tree” in item descriptions are a translation error, and the reference is to the “Great Roots” of the Erd Tree itself.

Whether these parallels to Nuytsia were intentional or accidental is known only to FromSoftware developers.